Improvement in medicine-chests



N TEB STATES. PAT-ENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. SKINNER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT. IN MEDICINE-CHESTIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,086, datcd October 23, 1866.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. SKINNER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Medicine-Chests, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the chest when the same is opened, and Fig. 2 is a view of the chest when closed.

Like letters represent similar parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention is to produce a portable, compact, and convenient receptacle or case for containing medicines, drugs, powders, and supplied with all the requisites of an apothecarys store in a small compass, so as to be readily accessible when required, and safely and compactly arranged for transportation 5 and the invention consists of a chest or case of any convenient size ormaterial, formed of two parts, which are hinged together, and so constructed as to form when opened a series of shelves or compartments, arranged one above the other in the form of steps, in which may be placed bottles or vials so disposed that each separate bottle or vial can be readily seen and its label or contents at once be known, and also containing receptacles for a mortar, scales, porcelain mixing-plate or pill-tile, or any other of the usual requisites of the apothecary or druggist.

Referring to the drawings,'Fig. 2 represents the case or chest when closed, A being the lower and B the upper part, which parts are hinged together at the rear, and when opened, as in' Fig. l, the edges of the under side of the upper part are made to rest upon legs or supports H, which when not in use are placed within the case. The top of the chest, at the edge, may be provided, if necessary, with grooves h, in which the upper parts of the legs or supports may be inserted in order to hold the said top securely. i

C G, in the -upper and lower parts of the case, represent a series of shelves perforated with holes of any required size to suit the sizes of the vials or bottles to be placed therein, the said vials or bottles fitting snugly but D D, in the upper part, B, of the chest, rep

resent slides, which are iitted in grooves in the sidesoff, the cases as to be easily withdrawn. Under the saitl"'slides are arranged perforated shelves'forcontaininglbottles or vials similar to those in the lower'part of the case. The slides are designed to fit snugly over the tops of thekstoppers of the bottles or l vials, so as to retain them securely in place when the upper part of the chest is closed. D' is also a slide, which may cover bottles or a series of compartments for containing any articles which it. may be desired to place within the same, and E is a hinged cover over compartments for holding a mortar, scales, 8vo.A

At the lower part of the front of the case is a drawer, F, containing a porcelain plate or pill-tile for mixing or making pills, ointments, &c., and the rear part of the drawer is divided into small compartments for containing boxes or any necessary articles.

It will thus be seen that when the chest is open it will present a series of shelves, rising one above the other in the form of steps, presenting to view all the bottles or vials ar ranged in such a manner that the labels of each can readily be seen and the contents known without the necessity of removing or searching for the bottles. The compartments holding the various utensils or implements required in the preparation of the drugs or medicines are also readily accessible without raising up and lifting them out, as is required in the medicine-chests of ordinary construction. 1

The chest may be of any required size or ma.

terial, either to suit the physician or traveler,

0r it may be of such a size as to be adapted to hold a large quantity and variety of medicines, drugs, &c., suitable for a country store, the whole, of whatever size, being compactly arranged i'or transportation, and when not in use it may be closed*A and kept free fromedust' and dirt, or any intermeddling or derangement. rlhe chest itself, or the drawers and compartments, may be furnished with any suitable locks or fastenings for security. It is equally applicable for land or sea service, for hospitals and army use, as Well as for families.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Constructing the chest or case in such a manner as to form, when the same is open, a series of shelves, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a series of perforated shelves, C, with the slides D, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the chestA B, constructed as described, of theperforated shelves, the slides I), the compartments D E, and' drawer F, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

(J1-ms. F. SLEEPER, J. H. ADAMS. 

